Meng Song Green Tuocha ~ PurePuer

During my last tea excursion to TranquiliTea, I found this fascinating Chinese Tuocha made from Green rather than Pu-erh tea. Now I know some of you who love to fight semantics will tell me “there’s no reason a Green can’t be a Pu-erh. Pu-erh just means aged/fermented”, and ostensibly you’d be correct. However, 99 times out of a 100, Pu-erh is made from Black tea, not Green, so at least it’s a little out of the ordinary.

In aroma, PurePuer‘s Meng Song Green Tuocha (勐宋小生沱茶) closely resembles a Huang Shan Mao Feng, floral but subtle and perhaps somewhat cellar dank from aging? The texture of Meng Song is totally that of a thick Pu-erh grit that settles nicely in the back of the throat. In taste though, I might compare it to a weak Chun Mee in that it has a sweet, curled flavor similar to an Oolong, while still embodying a touch of antioxidant bitter. Fortunately, the caffeine found in Meng Song isn’t overpowering as you might think, probably having lost its potency to aging. I think Meng Song makes a nice diversion from both traditional Chinese Greens as well as most Pu-erhs.

Another interesting thing about Meng Song is that although it does originate from Yunnan as with most Pu-erhs, Meng Song is actually a district in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture (西双版纳州 · ), known as Xidai (西傣) for short. Additionally, I’ve always wanted to try PurePuer, because their name is kind of cute. ;P Though, I’m half tempted to score them down based on how it’s sold online: $28/4 oz. >.>

1. Aroma – 81
2. Taste – 79
3. Texture – 90
4. Spunk – 91
5. Price – 20
6. Availability – 82
7. Appearance – 94

Mean score – 77 Recommended